Nutella Waffle Sandwich Cookies

There’s no need to sugarcoat the inspiration behind these cookies. The truth is, they were a total accident.

I had originally intended to use this waffle cone recipe to create homemade fortune cookies, but a half dozen attempts and a pile of misshaped cookies later, I wised up to the fact that I needed a thinner batter. I’m not one to waste food, so while staring down a stack of the crunchy, golden brown rounds, inspiration struck and I made a mad dash for my pantry. When life gives you excess waffle cone batter, make waffle cone wafers … and then sandwich those wafers together with a thick slathering of creamy Nutella.

Best of all, these no-bake cookies are made on a panini press. Remember the Homemade Mini Ice Cream Drumsticks? Same recipe, different technique. A cookie cutter ensures uniform rounds, leaving you with leftover crunchy bits to use as an ice cream topper or to eat straight from the bowl.

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Nutella Waffle Sandwich Cookies

Prep:30minutes

Cook:2minutes

Yield:12sandwich cookies

Ingredients

1cupheavy cream

1 1/2teaspoonsvanilla extract

1 1/2cupspowdered sugar

1 1/2cupsall-purpose flour

1/4teaspoonground cinnamon

1tablespooncornstarch

Nutella

Equipment: a panini press; a 2-inch circular cookie cutter

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream with the vanilla extract on medium-high speed until mousse-like, about 5 minutes.

Sift together the powdered sugar, flour, cinnamon and cornstarch in a separate bowl then gently fold the dry mixture into the wet until it is fully incorporated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Heat the panini press to medium-high heat (or 375°F).

Place a heaping tablespoon of batter in the center of the panini press, close the lid and cook the waffle for about 90 seconds.

Quickly remove the waffle from the press and use a circular 2-inch cookie cutter to cut out rounds. Set the waffle cone cookies aside to cool.

Once the waffle cone cookies have cooled, spread one side of a cookie with Nutella and top with a second waffle cone cookie to form sandwiches.

Kelly's Notes:

It's important to work quickly with the waffle cookies when they're hot off the panini press. They'll harden and break into pieces if you wait too long to cut out the rounds.